Lantana plant named ‘Robpatpar’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Lantana plant named ‘Robpatpar’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; uniformly mounded plant form; vigorous growth habit; rapid growth rate; freely flowering habit; and yellow to medium pink-colored flowers.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION/CULTIVAR DESIGNATION

Lantana camara cultivar ‘Robpatpar’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lantanaplant, botanically known as Lantana camara, and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name ‘Robpatpar’.

The new Lantana is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Grain Valley, Mo. The objective of the breeding programis to create freely-flowering Lantanas with medium pink-colored flowers.

The new Lantana originated from a cross made by the Inventor in 1995 ofthe Lantana cultivar ‘Pink Caprice’, not patented, as the female, orseed parent, with an unidentified Lantana selection as the male, orpollen parent. The new Lantana was selected in 1995 as a single plantfrom the resulting progeny by the Inventor in a controlled environmentin Grain Valley, Mo., on the basis of its medium pink-colored flowers.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in acontrolled environment in Grain Valley, Mo., has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Lantana are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar ‘Robpatpar’ have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and culture such as temperature, lightintensity, daylength, water status, and/or fertilizer rate or typewithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Robpatpar’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Robpatpar’ as a new and distinct Lantanacultivar:

1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; uniformly mounded plantform.

2. Vigorous growth habit; rapid growth rate.

3. Freely flowering habit.

4. Yellow to medium pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Lantana are comparable to plants of the female parent,the cultivar ‘Pink Caprice’. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inGrain Valley, Mo., plants of the new Lantana differ from plants of thecultivar ‘Pink Caprice’ in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Lantana are more vigorous than plants of thecultivar ‘Pink Caprice’.

2. Plants of the new Lantana have stronger lateral branches than plantsof the cultivar ‘Pink Caprice’.

3. Plants of the new Lantana are more freely-flowering than plants ofthe cultivar ‘Pink Caprice’.

4. Opened flower color of plants of the new Lantana is more homogenousthan flower color of the cultivar ‘Pink Caprice’ which is moremulti-colored.

Compared to plants of the cultivar ‘Robpatpet’, disclosed in U.S. Plantpatent application Ser. No. 09/895,641, plants of the new Lantana havemedium pink-colored opened flowers whereas plants of the cultivar‘Robpatpet’ have pale pink-colored opened flowers.

Plants of the new Lantana differ from plants of the male parent, theunidentified Lantana selection, and other Lantana cultivars known to theInventor primarily in the new Lantana's unique combination of moundedand uniform plant habit, medium pink opened flower color, andfreely-flowering habit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Lantana.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view oftypical flowering plants of ‘Robpatpar’ grown in a hanging basketcontainer.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a close-up view of typicalinflorescences and leaves of ‘Robpatpar’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for thephotographs and description were planted in hanging basket containersafter rooting and grown for about 3 months during the spring in apolyethylene-covered greenhouse in Grain Valley, Mo. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures were about 24° C. and nighttemperatures were about 18° C.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Lantana camara cultivar ‘Pink Caprice’, not patented.

Male parent.—Unidentified Lantana camara selection, not patented.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 days at 27° C.

Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 13 days at 27° C.

Time to develop roots, summer.—About 37 days at 29° C.

Time to develop roots, winter.—About 44 days at 24° C.

Root description.—Fine, fibrous; initially glaucous white in color thenbecoming tan, 161D, with development.

Rooting habit.—Freely branching.

Plant description:

Form.—Flowering subshrub; upright and outwardly spreading; mounded anduniform plant form. Freely branching; two lateral branches potentiallyforming at every node; pinching enhances lateral branch development.

Plant height.—About 21 cm.

Plant diameter.—About 52 cm.

Vigor.—Vigorous, rapid growth rate.

Lateral branches.—Length: About 18 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Internodelength: About 3.5 cm. Strength: Flexible, but strong. Texture: Rough,pubescent. Color: Young: 144A. Woody: Closest to 165B.

Foliage description.—Leaves simple, generally symmetrical andlong-persisting; opposite. Length: About 4.6 cm. Width: About 2.9 cm.Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse to truncate. Margin: Crenate toserrate with ciliation. Texture, both surfaces: Leathery, rough, coarse;slightly pubescent. Luster: Upper surface: Somewhat glossy. Lowersurface: Dull. Venation pattern: Arcuate. Fragrance: Mint-like. Color:Young foliage, upper surface: More green than 146A. Young foliage, lowersurface: 146B. Mature foliage, upper surface: More green than 147A.Mature foliage, lower surface: More green than 147B. Venation, uppersurface: 146B. Venation, lower surface: Close to 147D. Petiole length:About 9 mm. Petiole diameter: About 2 mm. Petiole texture, bothsurfaces: Slightly pubescent. Petiole color: Upper surface: 146B. Lowersurface: 146C.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.—Small salverform flowers arranged in axillaryumbels; flowers face mostly upward or outward. Flowers self-cleaning.Very freely flowering with potentially two inflorescences per node;typically about 27 flowers per umbel.

Natural flowering season.—Spring until frost in the autumn; floweringcontinuous and consistent.

Flower longevity on the plant.—About one week.

Fragrance.—Faint, spicy, pleasant.

Inflorescence diameter.—About 4.1 cm.

Inflorescence height.—About 2.4 cm.

Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused, four-parted; flowersroughly rectangular in shape. Diameter: About 1 cm by 9 mm. Corolla tubelength: About 1.4 cm.

Flower buds (before showing color).—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About5.5 mm. Shape: Roughly spherical. Color: 144A.

Corolla.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of four petals, fused intoflared trumpet. Petal length from throat: Upper and lower petals: About5 mm. Lateral petals: About 4.5 mm. Petal width: Upper and lower petals:About 8 mm. Lateral petals: About 4 mm. Petal shape: Spatulate tosomewhat orbicular. Petal apex: Rounded or emarginate. Petal margin:Entire. Petal texture: Smooth, velvety. Color: Petal, upper surface,when opening: White, close to 155D, overlain with 9A mostly towards thebase. Petal, lower surface, when opening: 9D. Petal, upper surface,fully opened: White, close to 155D, overlain with 61A. Petal, lowersurface, fully opened: White, close to 155D, faintly underlain with 61A.Throat: 17A to 21A with subsequent development. Tube: White, close to155D, underlain with 17A becoming more pink, white, close to 155D,underlain with faint 53A with subsequent development.

Calyx.—Arrangement/appearance: One single calyx tube per flower. Calyxlength: About 2 mm. Calyx width: About 1.5 mm. Apex: Two-pointed.Texture: Pubescent. Color, both surfaces: Close to 144C.

Peduncles.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle: About 45°from the stem. Strength: Flexible, but strong. Texture: Pubescent.Color: 144A.

Pedicels.—Length: Less than 1 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Angle: About45° from the stem. Strength: Flexible, but strong. Texture: Pubescent.Color: Close to 144A.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Four per flower,adnate to floral tube. Filament length: About 8 mm. Filament color:White, close to 155D. Anther shape: Ovoid. Anther length: Less than 1mm. Anther color: 14A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 12A.Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About 3 mm. Stigmashape: Globular. Stigma color: Close to 151C. Ovary color: Close to144A.

Fruit.—Type: Drupe. Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Texture:Smooth. Color: Immature: 144A. Mature: Close to 187A.

Seed.—Quantity per fruit: Two. Size: About 2 mm by 2 mm. Color: Close to150D.

Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Lantana grown in the gardenhave been noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Lantana.When grown in the greenhouse, plants of the new Lantana have beenobserved to be attractive to whiteflies.

Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Lantana have been observed to bevery tolerant to rain and wind.

Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Lantana have been observed tobe tolerant to temperatures ranging from 0 to 38° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Lantana plant named‘Robpatpar’, as illustrated and described.